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Page 451
There was no doubt in Ian's mind that Sir Peter had friendly relations with Lord Gwenwynwyn. There was nothing wrong in that. It would be foolish to be at daggers drawn with the most powerful Welsh lord in the area. Certainly Gwenwynwyn had sent word from Powys that Ian was on his way to Clyro Hill. But if Sir Peter intended to defy Alinor and break his oath, surely he would have done it while Ian was engaged with Simon's rebellious castellans. he was not planning rebellion; he had been glad to see Ian come riding in, and he had been very sorry Alinor was not also on her way. A glimmering of an idea began to emerge, but Ian needed to work it over in peace, undistracted by small talk and verbal fencing. He stretched and yawned.
"So far," he assured Sir Peter, "there is no troubleno more than usual, I meanin England. Besides, any day there should be news that will settle the country more firmly. The queen should be lightenedGod willing, of an heirvery soon." The last words were somewhat indistinct, lost in another yawn.
"You are more weary than you thought, my lord," Sir Peter remarked with poorly concealed relief. "Let me show you to your chamber."
"You must be right," Ian said, smiling and yawning still again, but a sudden cold had descended upon him.
It struck him with sharp warning that he had not seen any woman, except maidservants, in the keep, yet he knew Sir Peter had a wife and children. The absence of the lady and the children had not troubled him at first. He had ridden in after dark, and without thinking consciously about it, had assumed the children were abed and the wife busied with them or simply withdrawn into the women's quarters. Later, his mind had been on Sir Peter and their talk. Now, the lack of female attention was baldly apparent. A lady must offer her husband's overlord the normal courtesiesa bath if he wanted one, help in disrobing, an inspection of the chamber, bed and linen to be sure all was clean and

 
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